Ask students to examine the illustration accompanying the poem “The Sleepy Giant” by Barbara McClintock. Highlight
the connection between words and illustrations. Discuss how illustrations give us an additional piece of information to printed text.
Experience #1:
Discuss how the artist Barbara McClintock used lines to illustrate the characteristic of size to form the picture of the giant.
Define the use of proportion by the artist to enable the viewer to receive the impression of the size of the giant.
Provide time for students to research the use of scale and proportion to illustrate an object’s dimensions. Introduce students
to the de nition of these terms.
Scale – refers to the size of an object (a whole) in relationship to another object (a whole).
Proportion – refers to the relative signs of parts of a whole (elements within an object).
Show students some images of famous pieces of art that deal with scale and proportion (ex. Michelangelo’s David).
Provide an opportunity for students to draw or paint an image of a giant that utilizes scale and proportion to express the dimensions of something.
Experience #2:
Provide an opportunity for students to research famous artists’ renditions of either giants or people dancing the waltz.
For example, students can research the work of Leonid Afremov, Pierre Renoir, and Francesco Galaup as painters of waltz scenes.
For example, students can research the work of Francisco de Goya titled The Colossus or The Giant.
Show students some images of famous pieces of art that deal with scale and proportion (ex. Michelangelo’s David).
Provide an opportunity for students to draw or paint an image of a giant that utilizes scale and proportion to express the dimensions of something.
Students can select one of the images of the artists to create their own artistic interpretation of the work to accompany the poem.
The students can compile their images and create a class picture book that can be published and added to the class library.
Notes to Teacher
The emphasis on the arts section is to highlight the creative expression of Barbara McClintock and to use her illustrations as
the stimulus to introduce art appreciation. Art appreciation refers to artists, their works, and the process of producing art.
This section of the lesson provides an excellent opportunity to take students on virtual eld trips to museums to examine famous works of art. This lesson also provides an opportunity to introduce students to the many and varied forms of art (graffiti, sculpture, quilts, etc.).
This section also introduces students to some of the elements
of artistic expression that make it unique: color, scale, interpretation, etc.
